Tongue Jack Foot Pad - Remove or not while towing

[campnqueen]

Hello Y'all,

We have a 2010 Graywolf 19RR that has a manual tongue jack (which works just fine).
Attached to the bottom of the jack is a removable foot pad extension that
we use when are parked and unhooked from the truck.

We always remove the foot pad when the trailer is connect to the truck and
get ready to tow. We keep the foot pad close by in the back of the truck bed...
when we get to a site we grab it out and reattach it to the tongue jack.

My question is: Should we remove the foot pad extension while towing or not?

So does anyone out there keep their foot pad attached while towing?

Have there been any safety issues towing with the foot pad in place?

Your thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated.

[flyinguy68]

Ya know, I always wondered why trailers don't come with the silly foot pads. One day I accidentally came across them being sold on ebay and grabbed one for my new TT. Never thought about them being a hazard of any sort????

[SaskCampers]

IMO, take it off. With it attached the bottom of the pad is alot closer to the ground than you realize and all you have to do is start up a sharp incline like a driveway and you have the potential to hook the pad and do some serious damage to the jack or tongue of your trailer. I take ours off and store it in the box I keep the grease gun, X-CHocks etc in.

[Captain Ron]

I see trailers without the foot pad a lot and I've always wondered why! Now I know

[flyinguy68]

Originally Posted by TheSasks

IMO, take it off. With it attached the bottom of the pad is alot closer to the ground than you realize and all you have to do is start up a sharp incline like a driveway and you have the potential to hook the pad and do some serious damage to the jack or tongue of your trailer. I take ours off and store it in the box I keep the grease gun, X-CHocks etc in.

We must be talking about different styles of foot pads. The one I got is maybe a 1/16th - 1/8 in steel plate with a collar that mounts around the trailer jack post. Certainly less that a 1/4 inch is added to the length of the jack post. I guess if one forgets to wind up the jack once all hitched up you can certainly do some damage from ground contact but that will happen whether the pad is on there or not, no?

[SaskCampers]

Originally Posted by flyinguy68

We must be talking about different styles of foot pads. The one I got is maybe a 1/16th - 1/8 in steel plate with a collar that mounts around the trailer jack post. Certainly less that a 1/4 inch is added to the length of the jack post. I guess if one forgets to wind up the jack once all hitched up you can certainly do some damage from ground contact but that will happen whether the pad is on there or not, no?

Our V-Lites is easily 3 to 4 times that height.

[youroo]

My Reese trunion bars on our V lite hang down much lower the the power jack extension foot. I just bring it above the bars. The hitch head bracket is lower than anything else under the truck or trailer! Youroo!!

[Terier]

Someone told me to remove it so that it wouldn't get damaged which made sense. Then back at the dealership they said I could remove it but why? Make sure it's all the way up. It's made to stay together.

It stays attached and I haven't had any problems. If it all the way up and I hit something at that height I will have other problems to deal with.

As for others - either way sounds ok.